THE HON A. J. CADMAN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5461, 13 January 1896, Page 2

THE HON A. J. CADMAN.

[Per Press Assoctation.J

AUCKLAND, Jan. 11. The Hon A. J. Cadinan, Minister of Mines and Railways, arrived at Kawakawa from Hokianga yesterday, and was given a wojm welcome. $In the evpninga banquet was given to Mr Cadman. He said that he had met a deputation from the new Bay of I Islands Coal Company that afternoon. He had been asked to get the Government to make a reduction of sixpence per ton on the coal royalty, or a reduction of railway freight by sixpence per ton. He regretted that he would be unable to do this. If that were done here it would mean a loss of about .£14,000 or .£16,000 per annum to the coimtry, which woxild have to be made good by the taxpayers j but he hoped to be able to give the company something to help on prospecting. The Government was carefully watching the .result of the company's co-operative system of working the Kawakawa mines, and would endeavour to assist the company to keep its head above water. With reference to the Native land question, he said that the Government had acquired one and a half million acres of Native lands during the last five- years in the north. Unfortunately the Natives would not sell, and the Government, of course, could not take lands from them. They would have to wait until some legislation was introduced dealing with unused land and applying to Natives as well as to Europeans. Mr Cadman defended the Government policy at some length. .